The picture on the right reminds me so much of a park that I visit whenever I go home to the Valley. The park is a place of silent retreat for me; and I usually spend a 2-3 hours each day I go there just conversing with Dad (God) in prayer, journaling, and reading the scriptures. I leave refreshed and renewed every time.I am brought back to this place of rest this week in my heart and mind; because quite frankly, it has been a terribly difficult week. A couple in my small group had what I would consider a “miracle baby” on 29 May, but on 27 June, the baby went home to be with Jesus. It is in these difficult times, that something I recently heard rings so loud and true. The truth was that in times of doubt – you must push on through to “faith”. I am praying this and Romans 8:28 over this family, could you please do the same. The funeral is on 5 July, so keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
I can remember 7 years ago like it was yesterday, where Karen and I had nothing else to hold onto but the Hope of tomorrow and eternity. In fact, as I write this, a song that helped me through that time is playing on my IpoD now. It is kind of a Goth Opera band called Savior Machine and the song is “Carnival of Souls”. The song is a kind of tribute to the souls who have found their way back to the Lord; and it is a song picture of the Huge Party or Carnival that Heaven one day will be! Both Grace and Megan and all those we have known will be there!
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when i read the bible, i MUST conclude that our outward actions have nothing to do with us being Christians. i am in totally agree that as christians, morals and ethics play a big role (1 and 2 PEter, Paul in Ephesians 5). However, those things have zero to do with us actually being christians. Paul's whole discourse in Ephesians is that our Identity is in Christ, He alone, thats it. our outward actions are ONLY a reflection of what is in us already. therefor something so futile and so miniscule as cussing, or gambling, or drinking....come on, those are the battles christians are supposed to fight? really? no. the answer is no. western christianity has taken a simple understanding of christianity and has turned it into morals and ethics. when idealy, i can be moral and ethically sound and not be a christians. simultaneously, i can not have high moral standards and be unethical, adn still be a christian. the bottom line is when do you ever see jesus dealing with peoples outward actions? he doesnt. he deals with self righteousness, pride, lust, envy, etc. those things are where sin derives. not in beating your wife, sex, or drugs. those are mearly reflections of the sin that is already happening.
therefore, the people who kick out people in the bar because of cussing and gambling are not only poor representations of christ, but they are HURTING the progression of the gospel with false truth of what Jesus is.
We will also say you cant be a leader here if you are gay, or sleeping around on your wife, or a drunk. but we let things like pride, selfishness, and anger totally fly.
keep in mind, i am not saying that you are wrong. balance is the key, but balance is no the dividing line. the fact of the matter is, there is no standard. you must beleive this or else there could not be a church like forefront and a church like (for instance, my home church) Kempsville Church of Christ and they both be good. they both are good, but they both represent two totally different factions of christiantiy. that is just one of many examples.
in the end, we talk good games about 'no perfect people allowed' and 'everyone sins.'but we dont truly run our churches that way. morality and ethics is way secondary to the fundimental beleif and acceptance of Jesus. after that, i must beleive that God is big enought to work in his own people and he will.
does that make sense? or is it just mindless rambling...i dont know i dont feel like scrolling through it all. ha ha.
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